We had the good fortune of connecting with Loree Philip and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Loree, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I honestly never thought I would be a business owner!

But, there was a point during the pandemic when I started to question my career path. I was 15 years into a successful corporate career at a Fortune 50 company and everything seemed great – on paper. But the reality was that I was starting to feel like I could be doing more with my time and energy, something more meaningful. The pandemic helped me see very clearly that my time left on this planet was both valuable and limited. Did I want to be doing this corporate career for 15 more years? Deep down I knew that the answer was no.

What if I could spend all my time and energy doing something that I truly cared about? That question excited me, yet it took me another year before I had the plan, courage, and support to leave that career behind to start my business. A lot of people were surprised that I would leave a great, stable career behind to try something many perceive as risky. I had to look past the risk and see the possibility, potential, and freedom in it. That is what fuels me to continue to step forward each day. It was from that place that weSpark LLC was born.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Absolutely! My business, weSpark, is on a mission to elevate and empower women. We aspire to support women to bet on themselves, step into their authentic brilliance, and leap forward in their careers, in the direction that they choose. We accomplish this mission in two ways: podcasting & coaching.

Our free podcast, Daring to Leap is a career empowerment podcast for women with a mix of career inspiration, self-development, practical advice, and stories of amazing women taking big leaps in their careers.
Through our guest’s stories, we can start to expand the possibility for ourselves. We also share valuable lessons, how-to’s, and tips on important career and life topics to make our careers and lives easier, more enjoyable, and more aligned with our true selves. Our episodes are short, yet impactful for busy women with a full life. New episodes come out weekly on Tuesdays on your favorite podcast platform.

While podcasting is about inspiration and motivation; coaching provides a much deeper level of support. Our 1:1 and group coaching programs are designed to help women thrive in their careers. We believe women don’t have to settle in their careers. They can have MORE – more ease, more passion, and more impact.

Our signature coaching program supports women to build deep, authentic confidence. In this robust program, we work together to elevate your energy and resilience, deepen your self-belief and self-knowing, and practice confidence outside of your comfort zone. This transformational program is much more than coaching!

Starting and building a business has been one of the biggest sources of personal growth that I have ever experienced. There are so many challenges, unknowns, and feelings of doubt that need to be addressed and worked through. I still have so far to go, but here are 5 of my biggest lessons:

1. Remember to enjoy the journey – it is way too easy to get caught up in all the things we need to get done and forget to enjoy the progress and the successes along the way.

2. Rome wasn’t built in a day – things take time and it’s okay. We need to learn to crawl, then walk, then we can run.

3. Progress is better than perfection – if we wait for perfection, we will never get started. It turns out that you learn what you need to learn through the act of getting started and moving to the next step.

4. Trust and listen to yourself more – you have more answers than you think and this is your business. You can get advice and mentorship but don’t blindly listen to everyone else.

5. Yes, you have to put yourself out there – you can’t help people if they don’t know about you. If this makes you uncomfortable, it is an opportunity for growth.

Always remember, whether you are an entrepreneur or not, to give yourself some grace. Instead of beating ourselves up, let’s become our own biggest cheerleader and see what happens!

I’d love for you to check out my podcast, Daring to Leap or if you are interested in coaching you can reach out to me via email at loree@wesparkcoaching.com.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
What a fun question! This would be such as treat since I don’t get out much anymore, with my two young kids. Here are the highlights of our itinerary:

BRUNCH: We would have brunch at The Henry in Phoenix. The food and vibe are both excellent!

SPA: I love a good spa day. The Joya Spa at The Montelucia is a splurge but worth it.

POOLSIDE: We would definitely want to have a day at the pool. I just celebrated my 40th birthday, poolside at the Valley Ho and it was so fun. They have a DJ on Saturdays and the retro vibe is unique.

FAMILY ACTIVITY: For a family activity, we would take the kids to the Splash Pad at Fountain Hills Park. It is such a great splash pad and there is a playground right next to it.

DINNER & DRINKS: I recommend finding a restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale for dinner and drinks. There are always new restaurants popping up. I always enjoy Olive and Ivy. From there you can walk around and check out other places to stop in for a drink.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Great, question! I would like to thank and acknowledge my husband, Joe Philip. There is no way I could have stepped out of my career to start a business without his support. I just wouldn’t have done it. There is so much to consider when making such a big life change that would impact our two kids, our income, and our future. His openness to take my career change seriously and give me his full support means the world to me. Thank you, Joe!

Website: www.wesparkcoaching.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/loreephilip/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/loree-philip/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/loreephilip

Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daring-to-leap/id1668828275

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